Hendershott, Thomas, and Aubuchon Want $60 Million for Their Troubles? Indictments Would Suit Them Better

Getting rid of Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio and his fellow brigands may prove more difficult than ousting Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak from power.

At least Mubarak, in the wake of massive protests, has agreed to relinquish his dictatorial hold within six months' time, ending 30 years of autocratic rule.

At least Egypt's Hosni Mubarak knows when to go; Sheriff Joe, not so much.

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But Arpaio's goin' nowhere. He plans to run for re-election in 2012, when he'll be turning 80. He's amassed a fortune to help him win, with $2.8 million in cash on hand, as of his last campaign finance filing.

True, the elections that have kept Arpaio the jefe of Maricopa County, lo, these 18 years are fairer than the rigged referendums that have given cover to Mubarak's dictatorship.

So maybe it's not sporting to compare Mubarak's massive police-state apparatus to Arpaio's iron rule within the confines of this county. Still, the differences tend to be those of degree.

Arpaio's tenure in office has meant the targeting of his political enemies, the arrest and harassment of journalists (specifically the 2007 arrests of Village Voice Media Executive Editor Michael Lacey and VVM CEO Jim Larkin), and the trumping up of charges against those who oppose him.

Not to mention the deaths and injuries to jail detainees, which have cost the county more than $43 million in payouts, as well as the MCSO's massive internal corruption and abuses of power that've been the subject of several state and federal probes, some ongoing.

The apparent failure of these probes demonstrates the impotence of federal and state law enforcement to hold accountable a rogue sheriff like Arpaio.

Before this past Christmas, the rumor mill was in overdrive, and grand jury indictments were expected any week. But the federal grand jury looking into the MCSO for criminal abuse of power violations continues to be eerily silent.

The U.S. Department of Justice's two-year-long civil rights investigation into the MCSO's illegal and unconstitutional sweeps of Hispanic communities remains active.

But it's doubtful that the Obama administration will have the political will to ask a judge to do something so dramatic as putting the MCSO into receivership.

Lately, Arpaio has been cooperating with the DOJ's probe. Put your bets on a consent decree of some kind, wherein Arpaio agrees to a list of "suggestions" put forth by DOJ lawyers.

Former Arizona Attorney General Terry Goddard left office last year without bringing indictments in the Sheriff's Command Association scandal. That's the one in which Joe's underlings created an illegal slush fund to smear Arpaio's 2008 Democratic opponent, Dan Saban, with a sleazy TV ad.

Why the AG's Office lacked the intestinal fortitude to go after this low-hanging fruit remains a colossal, annoying puzzler.

All three are on paid leave pending the outcome of Pinal County Sheriff Paul Babeu's administrative investigation into the allegations. Babeu's spokesman recently told my colleague Ray Stern that a report on that investigation is coming soon — perhaps this week or next.

But even if Babeu acquires enough stones to suggest that Hendershott and the others be fired, it will not salt the leeches that continue to bleed this county white.

This trio of terribles had to go all the way to Montana to find an attorney to submit this whiny, self-serving document, which seeks a total of $60 million from the county to make these bloodsuckers go away.

That's irony on a grand scale, like some Broadway musical in which the protagonist gets away with multiple homicides. (Sweeney Todd, anyone?)

Before Thomas resigned to run for Arizona attorney general — a bid thankfully brought to a halt by his rival in the GOP primary, current Attorney General Tom Horne — Thomas, along with Arpaio, Hendershott, Aubuchon, and then-Deputy County Attorney Rachel Alexander, were at war with the Board of Supervisors, the local judiciary, and anyone who crossed them.

As part of this war, Thomas, et al., ginned up charges against county supervisors Mary Rose Wilcox and Don Stapley, as well as against Superior Court Judge Gary Donahoe, all of which were later thrown out.

In 2009, in a classic jump-the-shark moment, Thomas and Arpaio filed a risible RICO suit against the supervisors, various county employees, and several Superior Court judges, alleging that they were scheming to block Arpaio and Thomas' investigations into the building of a new court tower.

Thomas and Arpaio later dismissed the suit and turned the file over to the U.S. Department of Justice.

Arizona U.S. Attorney Dennis Burke reviewed it and wrote a letter to then-County Attorney Rick Romley, stating that there was a "total lack of evidence" to justify the action.

As a result of such machinations on the part of the Thomas-Arpaio axis, their various victims have filed lawsuits and notices of claims totaling at least $56 million.

People like him it is a sad thing to hear people with the TV mentality. They hear a sound bite and believe it because it is like that show on TV.

Hendershott been disliked and not respected by most of his co-workers for a good reason, his nose is really brown.

This is a perfect example of how Blind the New Times Really is!!! BUt their cause is noble and I respect them. But this is why the New Times is such a joke also!!! Why not tell the what is really going on and all of it. It is all just political posturing. Terry G never gets anything Done we all know that!

COME ON THE NEW TIMES GET REAL nothing will happen nothing will be done and the you all should know better they will win a settlement and this is what it is. Ignorant people of Maricopa county will foot the bill. IMPEACH JOE is the only way to deal with JOE

Change the name of the New Times to "THE BLIND TIMES" or show the truth that you are not just blowing smoke!

It is an embarrassment to have Joe as sheriff or this just the beginning? Is the US BECOMING A THIRD WORLD COUNTRY?

I read in the Chicago papers years ago, that Joe Arpaio left the DEA one step ahead of a federal investigation, that would probable have imprisoned him for the rest of his life. But, he managed to come to Arizona and get himself elected Sherriff of Maricopa county, where he has remained for c;ose to eighteen years. If some investigative reporter were to look into his nickname when he was withthe DEA, they would find out about "Dime bag Joe", because, no matter how big a drug bust was, Arpaio only turned a dime bag into evidence, whenever he could get away with it. Please, will some investigative reporter look into his shady past?

So what's the status on Thomas' investigation resulting from Gleason's recommendations? Why haven't we heard more on this? How soon can we expect to see Thomas disbarred and thrown in prison for all his crimes?

You must be living in Guatemala or something Michael Calder. so what are you trying to say you dont like Mexican, Hispanics. Another thing you are comparing Los Angeles with Arizona. LA is biger in population and City wide.?????????????? and its not a third world.

I was a teacher in the Los Angeles Unified School District. Out of 600,000 students only ten percent are anglo. The rest aren't. Most middle and high schools in Los Angeles are ninety percent mexican, the result of unbridled illegal immigration. Joe Arpagio is the only thing standing between Arizona becoming another part of the third world like Los Angeles has become. You want to send your children to private school, have your cars stolen, shop in grocery stores where you are the only caucasian in the store, then get rid of Big Joe and join the rest of us in the third world. Michael Calder

Um, Egypt has a pharaonic political system, and has for 1,000s of years. Under a phoranic system, the pharaoh is the absolute monarch of the country and, at least in theory, wielded complete control of the land and its resources. The king was the supreme military commander and head of the government, who relied on a bureaucracy of officials to manage his affairs.

They might call the system a Republic (under "emergency" suspension) at present but essentially, it's still a pharaonic political system. How, after so many years, can a people and system change dramatically to a democratically controlled Republic? It can't. Egypt is just going through it's normal change of leadership tumult that's occurred every 30 or forty years for the last 6 thousand years.

The miltary was in control of Egypt before, during and after Mubarak's rule - and they will continue to be, despite what people want. They will change the figure-head but rest assured, nothing will change.

A time for reflection and who locally we are allowing to shred our lives. Thomas/Aubuchon/arpaio culture represent what's so very wrong with Arizona. Wake up people. We've been had, while the lawyers and these tyrants take our hard-earned money.

The west can no longer claim to be an honest broker in the search for peace | world | Headline News Bureau - News Headlines from around the worldhttp://www.headlinenewsbureau....

it's all about ethics, just remember when you pick some one for office, look real close at their private life and all their past business dealings and also does this person have the back ground and knowledge that would help for a better tomorrow or would that person be a burden. It's never to late to start making better choices for a better tomorrow.

Kevin i agee those people are idiots. Federal Tax Paying Citizens are paying so much due to Arizona Dumb Politicans like Sheriff Joe Arpaio and the Entire Maricopa County System. Let's not forget to mention how much money SHERIFF JOE ARPAIO HAS COST TAX PAYERS EXPECIALLY WITH WRONGFUL DEATH SUITS??? He is the most corrupt of the bad bunch and will be exposed soon.backspinmymovie.com

Indict those idiots.......... ARIZONIANS Must be the dumbest citizens in the UNITED STATES to let those IDIOTS steal money from the TAX PAYERS....... I JUST DONT GET IT..... INDICT ALL THOSE CLOWS. I HEARD THE EDUCATION LEVEL HEAR IN ARIZONA WAS OR HAS A LOWER STANDARD THAN CALIFORNIA BUT NOT TO THIS POINT GUYS "COMMON". DONT LET THOSE CLOWNS TAKE ADVANTAGE OF YOU ALL CITIZENS AND TAX PAYERS OF ARIZONA.....

THERE JUST REGULAR PEOPLE BUT IN A POSITION OF AUTHORITY, THAT THE CITIZENS VOTED FOR. THAT PLAIN AND SIMPLE THERE TAKING ADVANTAGE. THE LEGISLATORS ARE NOT GOING TO DO NOTHING ABOUT IT "BECAUSE" THERES A BUDDY SYSTEM AND THE MAJORITY ARE REPUBLICAN.

LIKE THEY SAY AT THE PHOENIX P.D. WALK THE BLUE LINE, "CODE OF SILENCE" DONT GET ME WRONG IM REPUBLICAN MYSELF. BUT ENOUGH IS ENOUGH.......I KNOW AM NO EDIOT...

Joe and his buddies have cost us more than a ton of money, they have left in their wake a demoralized justice system that will never be the same - unless drastic measures are implemented to circumvent the corruption and misguided priorities.

The millions of dollars Joe has made while in office is not merely at the tax payers expense, but at the expense of our rights and freedom.

Joe is not in the law enforcement business, he is in the crime manufacturing business . . . the number of arrests is 5 times greater than it was prior to Joe taking office while at the same time the number of reported crimes continues to go up. Gee, then who's being arrested?

I was recently robbed. One of the robbers dropped their driver's license (no shit!). I called the dectective to inform him of this piece of evidence. I called him 4 times. He never returned my call. The robbers got away with well over $7,000 worth of goods.

This notice of claim filed by Candy Andy, Aubuchon, and Hendy show how mentally unstable all three are.

Hendy cries that he can't sleep at night. Gee I wonder why? Maybe it's because he took a hard look at himself in the mirror and realized that he had abused the taxpayers trust and his enormous police power. Hendy also says that he needs ongoing medical care. That's because he did not take care of his health, and he is overweight.

Aubuchon claims that she had to cash out her state retirement fund. That happened when she was fired by Romley for abusing her powers as a prosecutor. She also claims that she's having difficulty establishing a law practice. Maybe it's because she was the one behind all those false allegations against all those people the MCAO wrongly charged and people want to distance themselves from her.

Candy Andy whines that the battles cost him his bid for AZ AG. Last I checked, the voters of this county hired and paid this mentally unstable individual to represent the good people of Maricopa County in a court of law, and to provide quality legal advice to county employees, and he sorely abused that power. Now he wants the taxpayers of this already financially strapped state to pay him money because we had the common sense and decency to reject his sorry ass at the polls? I don't think so. He further complains that he did the right thing as a prosecutor. The right thing would have been to never bring felony charges against Judge Donahoe, filed an eyesore lawsuit alleging a conspiracy, attempting to indict the judge and a host of other county employees, and bringing felony charges against Stapley, Wilcox, and every other public official he tormented when he knew full well he had a conflict of interest, no evidence, and were outside the statute of limitations.

Alexander should have told her mentally unstable boss, Candy Andy, that there was no evidence to pursue the RICO lawsuit. She should not, and does not, have an excuse for her buying into her boss's bullshit. She too abused the trust and confidence of the taxpayers and should be held accountable.

The Flaccid Fool of MCSO has been abusing his power as elected shurf since '96, when the county was forced to cut a check to Scott Norberg's family for his wrongful death at the hands of MCSO detention officers. For alomst 20 years, the MCSO shurf has never been held accountable, either to his employer, the taxpayers and voters, or to the officers who work for him at MCSO. That entire office needs to have an overhaul, and needs to be rid of bad and disgraced officers, including the Flaccid Fool. He has cost taxpayers almost $90M (if you include the current lawsuits and claim notices) and continues to be an embarrassment not only to actual police officers, but to this county and state.

The public places a lot of trust and confidence in the people we are ultimately hiring and paying to do jobs for us. When the people we hire abuse the trust and power given them by the people, it is up to the public to remedy the situation. Disbarment, and, hopefully, criminal charges, will be the remedy administered by the scales of justice.

Nacy biggs either your fucking the sheriff or your just plain stupid. Its all about power and Joe dosent whant to let go. And for the other idiot he just wants money now "WHY" Because his reputation is DAMAGED he wont get another job in his field as long as he is in ARIZONA. In other words he burn his BRIDGES thanks to JOE ARPAYO. and do we need thoses kind of people in ARIZONA back stabbing .. No we dont the scare tactics that Brewer tried dirent work. so now whats next.

we all need to start to talk to ten people and ask those ten to talk to ten about what is really going on. introduce intro legislature that a sheriff only be allowed 2 terms, the number of people voting to save their job is enough to keep him in. He is abused his power .too bad he didnt bow out , before people found out about him, and leave with 1/2 the people thinking he is so great. NOw he is a fool and the king of the castle is falling down. nancy biggs, if your joey is so tuff why doesnt he debate his opponent?????

I think we should send them to mexico so the sicarios or the mexican cartel can take care of buisness with those clowns. Joe Arpayo , Andrew Thomas, Louie Purroll, Jared Lee, Russell Pearce. What the hell do this clows think we (CITEZENS OF ARIZONA/TAX PAYERS) think we are stupid...........We should all get together and Get those idiots out of office......what goes around comes around GOD is WATCHING IDIOTS........

Hendershott should be put in a cave along one of the drug routes in Pinal County. Sheriff Babeu can keep an eye on him.

Aubuchon should just disappear.

Thomas should be given a job at the front counter at McDonalds where he can personally check the quality of each meal served to sheriff deputies. Ooops, on second thought, that won't work either because Thomas will claim he is being mis-treated by a conspiracy group of McDonalds executives.

Go to the border and play with your cartel friends. Oh, don't forget to take your beany bags with you - after all, that's all Obama, Holder, Cherney, Sinema, Goddard will allow you to have. That is, if you have the guts to do even that.

I am investigating POS Joe for a book I am writing to be released 3 months prior to the election for sheriff. My investigation of this scum expands at every turn. I was advised to leave AZ by unidentifiable MCSO persons during my arrest w/o a warrant before I ended up on the border w/my throat cut, I was jailed in solitary confinement Thurs-Mon, then just kicked out of jail w/no explanation for anything. During my court appearance I became boisterous with the judge as my Constitutional rights were no-existent. I yelled at the judge pointing to Maricopa Justice Seal on the wall shouting that it was an oxymoron yet, they kicked me out of jail,...? Please, James direct me to the Chicago papers about Joe Arpaio leaving the DEA one step ahead of a federal investigation, that would probable have imprisoned him for the rest of his life. I would also love to discuss any other info you may be aware of. Thank you very much.

Nancy, you need to Google and read the Goldwater Institute report "Mission Unaccomplished", then read the East Valley Tribune series "Reasonable Doubt", then view the 12News story on "exceptional clearances." Then come back and explain to us exactly which laws your Fuhrer is eforcing.

Whoa, baby! You need to re-review the facts. Joe is not enforcing the law . . . he is abusing it. And at the same time he has drained us of our hard earned money, he has filled his pockets. Are you nuts???????????? Pleae please please, do not vote! do not have children! do not leave your house! people like you scare me.

Have you ever seen the program "Lock down". We have the worst jails in the nation, not just the state the NATION. Before you praise Joe, go take the little tour of Tent City. See for your self how citizens of this great state are treated. I know first hand because I have been there. We need to stand up each and every one that live here. We need to stand for those who can't to make this state better. We can think that it will never happen to me but I am here to tell you it can and does everyday. And once in the system and labeled a criminal it is very very hard to move forward in life. I know that MSCO is corrupt because I have seen it myself. He isn't doing anything but keeping the jail full so that there is a steady stream of tax $ going to his silent partners for personnel gain. If you really want to know check the court records of Mr Arpaio, you will be dismayed by what you find..Where there is smoke there is sometimes real fire.